Traditionally, boats and other watercraft have been moored to a dock by standard marine dock lines. Unfortunately such lines do not prevent damaging collisions between the boat and the dock. Storms, tidal changes, boat wakes and other sources of rough seas can push the moored vessel forcefully against the dock. This is apt to cause serious and expensive damage to the dock and/or the boat. Similar damage often results when two or more boats, rafts or other watercraft are joined together, such as by mooring whips. To date, no known devices have effectively addressed this problem. Standard marine rope and mooring whips do not safely cushion the moored vessel against damaging collisions with the dock or adjacent watercraft, particularly when the moored vessel is tossed about by rough seas.